Thoughts: This is a theological statement of how Jesus came to earth. There have been three explanations: 1) This refers to the death of Christ- meaning He came to die. In John 19:34 when the soldier pierced the side of Christ water and blood poured out. 2) Some say it points to the two sacraments of baptism and Lord's Supper (water and blood). 3) A third explanation would be the actual birth itself- where the water (amniotic fluid) bursts and the blood of delivery comes. This would point to the real human birth of Christ and would only coincidentally fit with the water and blood coming from His side at death and the elements of baptism and communion. 4) A fourth explanation points to the actual cleansing elements of water and blood- both were symbols of purification in the Old Testament. Ironically, the first plague was turning water into blood (Ps. 105:29; Ex. 7:21), 1 John 5:8 may help us to see (since it is only two verses later)- that the water and blood as well as the Spirit testify to the reality of Jesus as the Messiah- the Lamb of God who takes away sin. The water could symbolize the Father as Creator; the blood could symbolize the Son as Redeemer; the Spirit symbolizes the Spirit who speaks to our spirit of the reality of Christ even today. Christ came to testify that God desires to wash us, cleanse away sin, and inspire us to be more.
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